Rangers a heavy presence at Statehouse, but not in the parks

Wednesday

May 30, 2007 at 12:01 AM

BOSTON — While there are 50 park rangers assigned to security duties at the Statehouse, there are just five overseeing 400,000 acres of parks outside greater Boston, an imbalance that puts the state's protected lands in jeopardy, environmentalists say.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

BOSTON — While there are 50 park rangers assigned to security duties at the Statehouse, there are just five overseeing 400,000 acres of parks outside greater Boston, an imbalance that puts the state's protected lands in jeopardy, environmentalists say.

Security was strengthened at the 600,000-square-foot Statehouse following the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, increasing the number of rangers to 50 from about 30.

Seventeen rangers patrol the 222 urban parks closer to the city, while 16 guard state watersheds.

"I think a lot of people would expect that park rangers would be out in the parks," said Tad Ames, president of the Berkshire Natural Resources Council. He said October Mountain State Forest in Lee is plagued by litter, illicit parties, and the illegal use of off-road vehicles. Similar problems are reported at other state parks outside the metropolitan area.

The situation is so dire that even the state's head ranger, Curt Rudge, thinks there is a problem. While Rudge thinks staffing levels at the Statehouse should be maintained, more rangers are needed out in the field.

"I honestly will tell you, there is nowhere in the state, in my estimation, in the state parks that I know my program is doing an adequate job," Rudge said. "Without adequate staffing, how can you? It's just not physically possible."

Gov. Deval Patrick tried to eliminate a budget category that dedicated money to the rangers at the Statehouse by consolidating it with the overall parks budget, which would have given the Conservation and Recreation commissioner more flexibility to assign rangers.

But the House and Senate budgeted $1.9 million for rangers that can only be used for Statehouse security.

Some environmentalists object to the deployment of uniformed park rangers to guard the Statehouse, a job the rangers have been doing since 1995 when they took over for state police.

"It's a misuse of the state ranger force," said Jack Clarke, director of public policy and government relations at the Massachusetts Audubon Society.

The Statehouse rangers guard the building 24 hours a day, seven days a week. They screen people and bags with X-ray and magnetometer machines at three entrances, patrol the corridors and even enforce parking regulations. However, they are unarmed and still rely on state police to deal with more serious incidents.

While state parks have maintenance and programming staff, rangers are supposed to provide the law enforcement presence, keeping visitors safe and protecting natural resources.

Park employees reported more than 3,500 incidents in state parks outside greater Boston between 2002 and 2006, ranging from fires to fights to illegal dumping, according to the Department of Conservation and Recreation.

Having just five rangers outside of the metropolitan area is inadequate, Rudge said, but that quintet does its best to focus on problem areas and plans ahead to prevent them.

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